Dual threat: Football and cheerRussellville Cyclones outside linebacker Alex Whicher played through two weeks of football with an undiagnosed concussion that left him staggering on the sideline and confused on the field. Whicher said he began to realize something was wrong during the Cyclones 38-24 loss to the Conway Wampus Cats. “I got really confused on punt return,” Whicher said. “I thought we were playing regular defense and I was out there just hitting people. After a ...

Lady Apaches softball qualifies for state tourneyMENA — The Pottsville Lady Apaches qualified for the state tournament with a 7-2 win over the Farmington Lady Cardinals on Friday in the first round of the Class 4A North Region tournament. Halley Cain led off with a walk, moved to second and third on passed balls and scored on a bunt by Jordan Wright to break the ice. Hannah Barnett reached on an error to send Wright to third, before Haley Stanton pushed her across the plate on a ground out f...

Pottsville baseball falls to FarmingtonFARMINGTON — After qualifying for the Class 4A state tournament for the first time in program history, the Pottsville Apaches baseball team were defeated 4-0 by the Farmington Cardinals in the second round of the Class 4A North Region Tournament. Farmington did most of the work in the fourth inning as the Cardinals scored three runs off of two doubles.

Zach Hocker picked by Washington Redskins in 7th round of NFL DraftThe knee is fine, so Robert Griffin III didn’t need to do jumping jacks this year at the annual draft day party inside the Washington Redskins stadium. He jogged to the podium, saluted the fans and had to stop his remarks because they wouldn’t stop chanting “R-G-3!” When he told the crowd that Jay Gruden is “bringing a great environment to the team,” someone asked him why the new coach wasn’t at the party. Griffin politely reminded the fan tha...

Dover, Pottsville qualify for state tourneyLINCOLN — The Dover Pirates qualified for the Class 4A state tournament for the first time in seven years on Friday, May 9 with a 7-4 win over the Pea Ridge Blackhawks in the first round of the North Regional. “We made the routine plays,” Dover head coach Jason McGhee said. “I think we pounded out 12 hits. We were focused and we knew what to do. That’s what experience does for you.” Last year, after winning the 4A-4 Conference tournament, the ...

RHS goes 14-0 in conferenceLITTLE ROCK — Dianna Hale’s inside-the-park home run helped lift the Russellville Lady Cyclones to a 3-0 victory over the Little Rock Mount Saint Mary Belles in Russellville’s final regular-season game of the year. The Lady Cyclones improved to 19-2-1 on the season and 14-0 in the 7A/6A-Central Conference. Still, Russellville head coach Harley Sisson was disappointed in his team’s performance Wednesday. “The biggest problem is, I think, this w...

Cyclones baseball falls to LR CatholicLITTLE ROCK — The Russellville Cyclones were no match for the Little Rock Catholic Rockets on Wednesday as the Cyclones fell 9-6 at Lamar Porter Field. Russellville’s 1-0 lead after the first inning was met with five unanswered runs across two innings by the Rockets. The Cyclones scored two in the fourth and fifth innings, but Little Rock Catholic answered each accordingly to maintain a 9-5 lead. Russellville scored one more run in the sixth, ...

Sky is the limit for BarnesRussellville Lady Cyclones pole vaulter Tori Barnes didn’t have the day she’d hoped for Thursday during the Class 6A state track meet at Cyclone Stadium. Barnes, whose best vault cleared 11 feet, finished the day with a 9’8. “It was just a bad meet,” Barnes said, tears still fresh in her eyes. “Sometimes that just happens.” Barnes said she always wants to vault higher than her previous attempt, and the state meet was the worst time to fail to ...

Lady Cyclones defeat Belles 3-0LITTLE ROCK — Dianna Hale’s inside-the-park home run helped lift the Russellville Lady Cyclones to a 3-0 victory over the Little Rock Mount Saint Mary Belles in Russellville’s final regular-season game of the year. The Lady Cyclones improved to 19-2-1 on the season and 14-0 in the 7A/6A-Central Conference. Still, Russellville head coach Harley Sisson was disappointed in his team’s performance Wednesday. “The biggest problem is, I think, this w...

Cyclones to host state track todayThe Russellville Cyclones and Lady Cyclones track teams will face some of their toughest competition today at Cyclone Stadium when they host the Class 6A state track meet. Russellville head track coach Charlie Goodman said he spent time looking at scores from incoming teams. The Cyclones will be competitive, the coach said, but he isn’t sure if anyone can defeat Texarkana. “To put it in perspective, on the men’s side of the meet Texarkana scor...

Lady Cyclones soccer falls to GreenwoodThe Russellville Lady Cyclones could not overcome a first-half goal by the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs as they fell 1-0 on Senior Night at Cyclone Stadium. The Lady Cyclones celebrated seven seniors during Senior Night festivities prior to Tuesday’s game, but RHS could not complete the night with a victory. The lone goal of the contest came with 23:32 left in the first half on a Greenwood corner kick. After the ball was put in play from the corner...

Lady Cyclones win on Senior NightRussellville Lady Cyclones head coach Harley Sisson would have liked to seen more offense during his team’s 1-0 victory over the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs on Tuesday. Shelby Thompson stole second, third and home on an error at first to give Russellville a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but that was the only time the Lady Cyclones crossed the plate. “I wish we had a few more runs, but an ugly win is still a win,” Sisson said. “We just have to lea...

Cyclones soccer topples GreenwoodThe Russellville Cyclones soccer team celebrated Senior Night with a 3-1 victory over the Greenwood Bulldogs Tuesday at Cyclone Stadium. Greenwood trimmed the Cyclones 2-0 lead to 2-1 on a goal with 4:46 left in the game, but Jose Crisostomo closed the deal with a goal with 23 seconds left to seal the victory. Crisostomo broke the ice exactly 13 minutes into the contest with a goal giving the Cyclones an early 1-0 lead. Russellville (12-8, 7-6...

RJHS to hold meet, greet for NorsworthyA meet and greet for new Russellville Junior High School (RJHS) Whirlwinds head football coach Dean Norsworthy will be conducted at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the RJHS cafeteria. Norsworthy was hired during an April school board meeting. “We are inviting all incoming eighth-grade and ninth-grade students and their parents to come by and meet coach Norsworthy and also to stick around for a parent meeting to address the summer and fall schedules for the ...

Pirates capture conference crownBOONEVILLE — Luke Price hit two home runs and five RBI to lift the Dover Pirates over the Booneville Bearcats on Monday in the championship game of the 4A-4 Conference tournament by a score of 7-6. The win makes Dover the regular-season conference champion and the 4A-4 Conference tournament champion for the second year in a row. “They have a big field over there, and the first one [homer] got out real quick,” Dover head coach Jason McGhee said...

Cyclones baseball thumps GreenwoodThe Russellville Cyclones thumped the Greenwood Bulldogs 8-1 on Tuesday in their final home game of the season at M.J. Hickey Park. The Cyclones scored five runs in the third, two in the fourth and one in the sixth. Greenwood added their run in the fifth. Russellville pitcher Mark Moyer notched the win across seven innings, after he gave up four hits, one run, walked two and struck out 12. Cody Underhill was 2-for-3 and scored three runs from ...

Cyclones down LR CentralLITTLE ROCK — The Russellville Cyclones defeated the Little Rock Central Tigers 9-5 on Monday in Little Rock. Russellville trailed 3-1 after the first inning, but scored six runs in the third and two in the seventh to claim the victory. Cyclones pitcher Garrett Freeman recorded the win in five innings. Freeman gave up eight hits, five runs (four earned), walked two and struck out seven. Jacob Barker got the save, walked two and struck out thre...

Short lifts Little Johns over LavacaLAVACA — Caleb Short collected three hits to help spark the Danville Little Johns over the Lavaca Golden Arrows 12-7 on Monday. Short singled in the first and second innings, before hitting a triple in in the third. Danville (16-3) pitcher Brett Wilkins allowed three runs over three innings, struck out six, walked two and gave up two hits. Kyle Frost put away the final 12 outs to record the save. The Little Johns never trailed after scoring fo...

Hector wins 2A-4 East tourney over BigelowBIGELOW — It took eight innings, but the Hector Lady Wildcats brought home the 2A-4 East District tournament hardware after a 4-3 win over the Bigelow Lady Panthers on Saturday. The Panthers had previously defeated the Wildcats, but Hector (19-3) head coach Kyle Russell never doubted his team’s ability to come away with the victory. “It was sort of a pitchers’ duel,” Russell said. “We knew going in that it was going to come down to whoever mad...

Cyclones lend a handAddy Hipps couldn’t believe the amount of destruction that was immediately evident when a group of Russellville High School student-athletes arrived just outside Vilonia to help with tornado relief. “Everything was gone,” she said. “It was really said." Eighty-two offseason football players, basketball players and volleyball players made the trip by bus Thursday along with 20 coaches from Russellville High School. The goal: to help in any way ...